Key-less entry system

• US 20020190842A1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Yoshihiro, Yoshimura, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.31
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

The key-less entry system of the present invention comprises a transmitter for transmitting a door lock signal, and a vehicle onboard unit for executing a door automatic lock by detecting that a driver side door has made a transition from an open state to a closed state after reception of the lock signal. Accordingly, once the onboard unit is set to automatic lock mode by operating the transmitter, there is no need to again operate the transmitter and transmit a lock request after finishing work, but the door lock is automatically executed when the door is closed.

Claims

1. A key-less entry system comprising a transmitter for transmitting a door lock signal, and a vehicle onboard unit for executing a door automatic lock by detecting that a driver side door has made a transition from an open state to a closed state after reception of the lock signal.

2. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit executes the door automatic lock when the door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state within a predetermined time after reception of the lock signal.

3. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit includes means for annunciating a door open state when any one door, other than the driver side door, is detected as being open at the time that the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state after reception of the lock signal.

4. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit that received the lock signal executes the door automatic lock by waiting for a predetermined time after detecting that the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state.

5. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit includes means for annunciating the state transition when the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state after reception of the lock signal.

6. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit does not execute the automatic lock if a key is inserted in an ignition key cylinder.

7. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the onboard unit releases the lock when a door knob switch is turned on within a predetermined time after the execution of the automatic lock.

8. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the lock signal is transmitted from the transmitter while the driver side door is closed, then the onboard unit executes the automatic lock when the door is opened first and then closed.

9. A key-less entry system comprising a transmitter for transmitting a door lock signal and an automatic lock signal, and a vehicle onboard unit for executing a door automatic lock by detecting that a driver side door has made a transition from an open state to a closed state after reception of the automatic lock signal.

10. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit executes the door automatic lock when the door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state within a predetermined time after reception of the lock signal.

11. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the automatic lock signal is generated by transmitting the lock signal continuously for a predetermined time.

12. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the automatic lock signal is generated by transmitting the lock signal a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

13. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the automatic lock signal is generated by a combination of a lock signal and an unlock signal transmitted in sequence within a predetermined time.

14. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transmitter is equipped with a lock button for transmitting the door lock signal, an unlock button for transmitting a door unlock signal, and a shift button, and the automatic lock signal is transmitted by operating the lock button in combination with the shift button.

15. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit includes means for annunciating a door open state when any one door, other than the driver side door, is detected as being open at the time that the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state after reception of the automatic lock signal.

16. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit that received the automatic lock signal executes the door automatic lock by waiting for a predetermined time after detecting that the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state.

17. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit includes means for annunciating the state transition when the driver side door has made a transition from the open state to the closed state after reception of the automatic lock signal.

18. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit does not execute the automatic lock if a key is inserted in an ignition key cylinder.

19. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit releases the lock when a door knob switch is turned on within a predetermined time after the execution of the automatic lock.

20. A key-less entry system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard unit cancels the execution of the automatic lock when an automatic lock cancel operation is detected before executing the automatic lock.